Chapter 3
On the Sunday following Christmas, which was only three days later, Carlisle, Emmett, Edward and Jasper all sat in front of the television getting ready for the start of a football game. The captains on either side were standing next to the referees preparing for the pre-game coin flip which would decide which team would be kicking off.
Rosalie and Esme entered the living room at the same time, drawing a huge, dramatic sigh from Rosalie as she noticed what they were watching, "Come on. We've watched football every single Sunday since... October."
"Only a month left babe," Emmett said, patting the couch next to him.
Esme smiled and sat down beside Carlisle, not complaining, nor looking overly thrilled at what they had chosen to watch.
"Ooo, football," Alice said somewhat happily and scampered in the living room. Nicole sat on the couch next to Jasper and Alice sat on the floor in between his knees.
Rosalie shook her head at her sister, "Aren't you sick of it yet?"
"No," Alice said with a perky tone in her voice, "I actually like it. Me and Jas have been betting every week. It's fun."
Emmett's eyes lit up, "Let's all bet." He looked at Rosalie, "It'll make it more interesting anyway."
She could tell he was trying to get her into it and she decided to give in, "Okay. Who's playing?" Her eyes scanned the television for the first time.
"New York Giants-" Carlisle started.
"And the Denver Broncos," Emmett finished.
"The quarterbacks are brothers," Edward added, "Eli and Payton Manning."
"Really?" Esme asked with a smile, "That has to be fun. I wonder who their parents root for."
"The youngest," Alice guessed. She looked back at Jasper, "Which is Eli right?"
He nodded.
"Which team is he on?" Esme asked her.
"The Giants," Jasper said.
"Okay, well I'll go for the Giants then," she said.
"Me too," Rosalie added.
There was a few seconds of silence before Jasper and Emmett also decided to route for New York in the game.
"I have to go with Denver," Carlisle said.
Emmett and Esme both looked at him before Emmett gave a little laugh, "Going against Esme's team?'
He grinned and looked down before looking back up again, "Eli can't beat his big brother."
"I would have to agree," Edward said, "I'm taking Denver too."
"So am I," Alice chimed in, raising her hand.
Bella had apparently overheard their conversation and entered the room with Alexandra and Michael close behind. "I'm going for Denver too," she said with a smile as she passed by Emmett."
"So I guess we know who the loyal couples are," Emmett joked, "Carlisle, Alice..." he shook his head.
"It's just a bet," Alice said playfully and turned to face Jasper.
"Want in on this Alex?" Edward asked her and Michael.
She shrugged.
"Just go for Denver," he said.
"Okay, Denver," Alexandra said simply with Michael's quick head nod signaling he agreed.
"So what are the terms?" Rosalie asked aloud to everyone.
"How about if the losers hunt for the winners for a day," Jasper suggested.
"We could always make it a week," Esme said to him, then looked at Carlisle confidently, making him laugh.
"Fine with me," he said.
"Alright," Rosalie agreed, "Bella and Edward will be getting food for me and Emmett all week." She sat back in a relaxed position and Edward smiled, shaking his head.
Emmett smiled, glad to see that everyone could now enjoy the game a little more.
"Ohhhh!" Jasper said looking around the room, "New York wins the coin flip."
"I hate to say it, but that's all they're going to win baby," Alice said to him.
The ball was kicked off and the game began, going back and forth nearly evenly from both teams. Comments were made throughout the course of the game, moreso against the Broncos after the first half with the Giants leading by a field goal.
"It's three points," Edward said, shaking his head, "Not a big deal."
"Until they score another touchdown," Emmett told him, leaning forward in his seat. Rosalie smiled at him, enjoying his competitive nature and feeling a little excitement herself.
"Should have picked the Giants," Esme said to Carlisle with a smile.
"We still have two quarters to go," he said, raising his eyebrows, grinning back.
"We'll see..."
He laughed and refocused on the television as the second half picked up again. Emmett alternated between sitting and standing about ten times as certain plays overly got his attention or got under his skin. He shook his head as the Broncos pulled ahead for their first lead of the game with a thirty yard touchdown pass by Payton Manning.
"He's older and wiser than his brother, Emmett," Carlisle said, "Always go with experience over youth."
"That's right," Alice agreed.
"Youth has the legs and the arm to keep going," Emmett said.
"Except when you're Payton Manning," Edward joined in, "He's immortal, in a football sense."
He continued to disagree, "Just watch."
The game went on and everyone got a little tenser as the fourth quarter began to tick the minutes away. The Denver Broncos were still leading by a touchdown, as no one had scored since earlier in the half.
"One and a half minutes," Edward said, "If they don't get a first down, the game's over."
No one responded. Everyone was focused on the game and a few seconds later, Eli Manning was laying on his back with the ball and a number of Denver players on top of him.
"Sack!" Bella said with a smile, then added, "I knew that from Charlie."
"Game over," Alice taunted, though they waited until the clock ran down and fans began to cheer before making it official.
Rosalie and Emmett both looked a little mad, though Emmett was able to manage a smile, "Hunting for a day."
"A week," Alice reminded them, "Right Jasper?"
"I can't back out of a bet," he said.
Edward taunted Rosalie with his eyes and smile before she rolled her eyes at him.
"Emmett... what are you going to catch for me?" Bella asked.
He sighed and made a face, "Racoon... mice maybe."
The two of them laughed at his response.
"Can't wait," Bella said sarcastically.
"I'm kind of hungry now actually," Edward said, licking his lips, "How black are my eyes Rosalie?"
She didn't answer his question and purposely looked in another direction.
"Carlisle," Emmett said, "Are you going to make Esme hunt for you?" He stood with a big smile on his face and watched their reactions.
Esme glared playfully at him before he eyed her back and said, "I'm kind of in the mood for a deer."
A couple people laughed, and everyone smiled before he hugged her said, "I'm just kidding," letting everyone to believe for a second that he was letting her off the hook. Carlisle then put his lips up to her ear and whispered almost seductively, "I could go for a mountain lion instead." He then placed a kiss on her cheek, leaving everyone with separate reactions.
Edward and Jasper were both laughing and Edward playfully taunted Esme, while Rosalie looked at her and said, "I'll help you get him back later." Emmett couldn't help but laugh and gave Carlisle a quick high five.
"That was good," he said.
"Emmett!" Rosalie said, "Wrong team."
"Jas, want to get mine now?" Alice asked with a very innocent ring in her voice.
He huffed and sighed, "Sure... because I love you."
"I know. I love you too. Deer for me please."
Carlisle continued to smirk at Esme, enjoying their lighthearted competition. She smiled back and shook her head before heading out with the rest of them into the woods.
About a half hour passed before everyone returned, leading the six of them to their freshly hunted animals.
Emmett continued to joke with Bella about how all he could find her was a squirrel, but much to her delight, he found a large buck for her and Edward.
Carlisle smiled as Esme gave him his, and tried to get her to laugh, but she was purposely giving him short responses and a sort of cold shoulder, though couldn't help but smile at his attempts to draw her back to his side.
"I'm going back out to hunt for myself now," Jasper said, smiling at Alice as they all began walking back to the house.
"Can I go with you?" Nicole asked him.
"Sure." He threw her on his back, winked at Alice and disappeared. She smiled and followed her family back into the house.
"Babe, let's go try out that video game you got for me," Emmett said, tapping her in the stomach lightly before pulling her with him in the opposite direction of everyone.
Carlisle sat down on the couch and called Esme over to him. She slowly made her way in his direction before leaving a small space in between them where she sat. He immediately placed a hand on her back and laughed once lightly.
"Esme. I know you're not really mad," he told her with a smile.
Edward couldn't help but smile from across the room, knowing through his mother's thoughts that she wasn't at all angry.
"Hmm.." Esme stood up and grabbed a magazine from a basket across the room, then made her way back to the couch and started flipping through it without saying anything to him. She tried hard to fight a small that was beginning to spread across her face and it made Carlisle laugh again.
"I told you," he said.
Rosalie re-entered the living room and Esme stood up.
"Where are you going?" Carlisle asked, "You don't want to stay here?"
Esme looked him in the eye and leaned over him as if she was going to give him a kiss, letting her lips graze his as she spoke quietly, "I didn't get a chance to hunt before either." She paused and placed a hand gently on the side of his face before sliding it up to entangle his hair in her fingers, "And I get very dangerous when I haven't eaten."
She pushed herself away, using the couch cushion behind him as leverage and joined a cold smiling Rosalie who waited beside the couch. The two of them looked back with matching expressions, then smiled as they left the house.
Edward and Bella both stared at Carlisle with almost stunned expressions before each of them smiled and laughed at the same time at his own somewhat bewildered expression. He looked down and smiled, then looked back at them
"That was pretty terrifying, Carlisle," Edward joked, "That was rare form, you better keep her away from Rosalie."
Carlisle leaned an elbow against the armrest of the couch and place his hand under his chin, "I think I better throw in the towel." He laughed for a moment with Edward and Bella and sighed before going upstairs.